{"data":{"ID":659,"Class":"Conversation","Created":1477948610,"CreatorID":334,"RevisionID":null,"Status":"Accepted","Title":"Building the Middle Schools We Need: The Story of one 8th Grader\u2019s Accidental Preparation for Freshman Year at SLA","Handle":"building_the_middle_schools_we_need--the_story_of_one_8th_grader-s_accidental_preparation_for_freshman_year_at_sla","ShortDescription":"This is the story of Justin Siegel (SLA class of 2021) and how a transformational 8th grade year at a public middle school in South Jersey prepared him for life at 22nd & Arch. Justin and one of his 8th grade teachers, Kevin Jarrett, will explore how Mr. Jarrett\u2019s Design Thinking-based program, \u201cDigital Shop,\u201d and the school\u2019s Edcamp Period disrupted Justin\u2019s educational worldview and helped form his identity as a young adult in charge of his own learning.","Description":"Up until 8th grade, Justin had spent his educational career in the public school system in Northfield, New Jersey (a traditional school environment). But when he became an eighth grader, everything changed. Northfield Community Middle School launched two important new programs that year - \u201cTechnology, Engineering & Design,\u201d including a makerspace\/fablab experience called \u201cDigital Shop,\u201d and, a student-driven \u201cEdcamp Period\u201d that was unique to the 8th grade. These experiences gave Justin, for the first time, control over his own learning - and the capability and freedom to embrace an inquiry model of learning. Given the resources to learn like a 21st century student should (including working in a truly project-based environment), Justin saw for the first time what education truly had to offer, and it formed his identity as a learner. The process prepared Justin for high school by giving him the opportunity to work on inquiry based projects, developing his technical and specialized skills with state-of-the-art tools, and requiring him to collaborate like never before with his fellow students and teachers. When he was presented with an unexpected opportunity to apply for a spot in SLA\u2019s Freshman class, he jumped at the chance. Mr. Jarrett\u2019s Digital Shop experience, in particular, exemplified what Justin wanted in a high school. When he discovered SLA, he knew he\u2019d found his educational home. This is his story. This is our story. Join us for a wide-ranging, inspirational discussion around what a public middle school education can be.","Link":["http:\/\/about.me\/kjarrett"],"Audience":["High School","Middle School"],"Practice":"Justin and Kevin will explain how & why the school developed these innovative programs, what they seek to accomplish, how they are managed \/ experienced, and the results they are generating. Google Docs will be used to compare and contrast \u201ctypical\u201d middle schools with Justin\u2019s 8th grade experience, identifying implications for pedagogy, scheduling, technology infrastructure, teacher professional development and more.","Presenter":["Justin Siegel & Kevin Jarrett"],"PresenterAffiliation":["SLA Student | STEAM Teacher","Northfield Community Middle School"],"PresenterEmail":["kevin.jarrett@gmail.com"],"ScheduleSlotID":86,"ScheduleLocationID":7,"SubmitterID":334,"AdditionalComments":"Thank you for considering our session!","LiveChannel":null,"Hashtag":null,"VokleID":null,"RecordingURL":null,"ConferenceID":6}}